Parks, Transit and Animal Control: what’s coming up for Fraser Valley Regional District’s Budget 2025

Average tax increase: 5%

Top contributors:

Animal Control
FVRD Parks: Labour and material costs lead the increase within FVRD Parks, but items such as upgrades to Chadsy Lake trail were uniquely on table for the City of Abbotsford.
Fraser Valley Express

CITY OF CHILLIWACK

Average tax increase: 9%

Top contributors:

Regional parks
Animal Control
Fraser Valley Express

VILLAGE OF HARRISON HOT SPRINGS

Average tax increase: 11%

Top contributors:

Transit (HHS to Chilliwack)
Regional Parks
Building Inspection: HHS is facing unique issues in this column as permit volumes, revenue, and recruitment get hit by economic uncertainty. Vehicle replacements are also planned for this year.

DISTRICT OF HOPE

Average tax increase: 6%

Top contributors:

Hope Arena and Pool: This project is a top capital priority for the district in the next five years. In 2025, the focus is on infrastructure upgrades like an electric zamboni and replacements to dehumidifiers, sand filters, and sprinkler pipes.
Transit (Hope and along Hwy 7 between Hope and Agassiz): The operating agreement is up 16 per cent from 2023/24, and this is the first full year under a new collective agreement. Fuel and operating costs have also increased. While tax requisition is up 15 per cent this year, the hike will only go up by 10 per cent next year. The proposed transit garage in Chilliwack is expected to help with costs once it completes.
Regional Parks

DISTRICT OF KENT

Average tax increase: 12%

Top contributors:

Transit (HHS to Chilliwack)
Regional Parks
Animal Control

DISTRICT OF MISSION

Average tax increase: 11%

Top contributors:

Animal Control
Regional Parks
Fire Dispatch: The district’s regional fire dispatch and its radio network currently lack coverage and resiliency. Network improvements, which are getting more complex, are entirely funded by tax requisition. The full costs from the upcoming Next Gen 9-1-1 service are unknown.

Many of these tax requisitions overlap.

Animal Control is mainly due to uniform user fees for dog tags beginning this year across the district. Operating costs for this service, such as vet fees and postage are up overall.

For transit options like the Fraser Valley Express, there is an 18 per cent increase to the service’s tax requisition this year, but the transit’s reserve surplus will do more heavy-lifting next year. That surplus currently sits at roughly $2.4-million. A new garage is set to be built in Chilliwack, which could produce more value for Fraser Valley Express and other transit options across the region once it’s up and running.

For Transit in HHS to Chilliwack, the operating agreement of the service is up 30 per cent from 2023/24. This is also the first full year under a new collective agreement for transit staff. The proposed tax requisition increase is 16.5 per cent this year, but surplus reserves will be used to soften that amount until 2028– unless fares increase. Regional district staff may look into gas tax relief as fuel and operating costs continue to rise. The proposed Chilliwack garage may help with these costs.

Lastly, rising labour and material costs, increased demand, and climate change effects dominate budget items for Regional Parks. Several repair projects are on the table in places like Island 22, Thompson and Neilson, Elk and Cheam Trails, and more. The regional district is also looking at rock scaling in KVR and vehicle replacements across the parks.

Finances in electoral areas are available on the FVRD’s full budget plan for 2025-2029.

The plan is set to be approved in February.

by Alyssa Conti

Parks, Transit and Animal Control: what’s coming up for Fraser Valley Regional District’s Budget 2025

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